India in discussions with Iran for safe passage of 20 oil tankers through Hormuz: Report

India is in talks with Iran to secure the safe passage of more than 20 oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. 

Of the tankers involved in the discussions, 10 are carrying LPG contracted by Indian refiners, such as Indian Oil Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum, while five are transporting crude oil, the report said.  

Also read: Iran’s new Ayatollah says Hormuz must remain closed

The discussions, which are ongoing and being managed by the Ministry of External Affairs, come as the narrow waterway remains effectively closed due to the ongoing conflict in the Persian Gulf.

Also read: ‘It can’t happen now’: US Navy not ready to escort oil tankers through Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial maritime chokepoint through which around a fifth of the world’s crude oil typically passes. The tankers, laden with crude oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and liquefied natural gas (LNG), have been stranded in the region since the escalation of attacks by the US and Israel on Iran on February 28. 

These shipments are vital for India, which relies heavily on West Asia for its oil and gas supplies – two-thirds of its LNG and almost all of its LPG imports come from the region.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has held three conversations with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in recent days to discuss the issue. 

The government also provided an update on Thursday, stating that 28 Indian-flagged vessels were operating in the Persian Gulf region. Of these, 24 vessels were located west of Hormuz, carrying 677 Indian seafarers, while four were on the east side of the Strait with 101 Indian crew members aboard. 

On Thursday, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, declared that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed. In his first address since assuming the role of Supreme Leader, Khamenei said Iran would keep up its attacks on its Gulf Arab neighbours and use the effective closure of the strait as leverage against the US and Israel.